KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q152611: OSR2 Cannot Dual-Boot Between Windows 3.x and Windows 95

Article: Q152611
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:95
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kberrmsg win95
Last Modified: 13-JUN-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows 95 
- Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, version 2.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

If you try to dual-boot Windows version 3.x on a computer running Windows 95 OEM
Service Release 2, you receive one of the following error messages:

- This version of Windows does not run on MS-DOS 6.x or earlier.

- You started your computer with a version of MS-DOS incompatible with this
  version of Windows. Insert a Startup diskette matching this version of
  Windows and then restart.

  The system has been halted. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to restart your computer.

- This version of Windows cannot be run on this version of DOS.

CAUSE
=====

Beginning with OSR2, dual-booting Windows 3.x is not supported in Windows 95.

RESOLUTION
==========

To dual-boot between Windows 3.x and Windows 95, you need to install the retail
version of Windows 95. If you have FAT32 drives, you need to remove the FAT32
partition and create a FAT16 partition with the Windows 95 or MS-DOS 6.x version
of Fdisk.exe.

For additional information about how to perform this task, please see your
printed Windows documentation or online Help.

Neither MS-DOS 6.x nor the retail version of Windows 95 will recognize a FAT32
volume.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Windows 3.x was designed to use the FAT12 and FAT16 file system, and could
potentially damage a FAT32 volume.


Additional query words: bootmulti

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbOPKSearch kbWin95
Version           : WINDOWS:95

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.